Trick-or-Treat (Daily Prompt)

“If bloggers had their own Halloween and could go from blog to blog collecting“treats,” what would your blog hand out?”

Well, this is from a New Zealand point of view. Over here, Hallowe’en was not a part of the annual event calendar, until in about 1980s when our major cheap stuff chain store (The Warehouse)began importing cheap Hallowe’en junk – costumes, candy boxes, fake pumpkins etc – and Tim Allen‘s Home Improvements TV show began to air.

Immigrants from Canada may have tried their Hallowe’en custom here, sending their kids door knocking – but the kids would have had the door slammed in their faces with a mutter something like “cheeky young devils” (which is quite ironic when you look at it again) or “how dare they beg?”

Gradually over the years, the chain store has increased its stock of Hallowe’en costumery and trick-or-treat bags and such rubbish, and yes, gradually more and more families let their kids loose on the streets (with the usual safety warnings of course).

But – poor kids – it really is only a beggars’ fest – there’s nothing scarey in the neighbourhood when it’s still a couple of hours to sunset. Most children don’t bother even trying to dress up. None of them know what Hallowe’en is about, nor what the following day means.

When children (some as old as eighteen fer Pete’s sake!) come to my door, the first thing I do is look for a costume or mask. “No effort made? Sorry, nothing for you.”

” A costume? Great!” – three wrapped candies and that’s it.

This year I went one further. If the children were not so young that poor ol’ Dad had to come with them, I would separate the ones in costume from their mates who’d made no effort.

“No costume? Go wait, over there by the corner of the house.”

“Love your costumes – and I have a small amount of candy, but only if you know what tonight has to do with tomorrow.”

NO child knew anything about All Saints Day tomorrow. NO child knew that spooks had only 31st October to roam the earth until midnight (or dawn in some countries) when they have to be back below ground before the Saints and Angels reclaim the world. But, because they’d made the effort to dress up, they each got the candy anyway.

Then one by one, I’d call up an un-costumed kiddy, and quiz them.
“You’ve no idea why you’re out trying to beg for treats? Then sorry, no treats. Do some homework on it before next year and find out its history. ‘Bye.”

Next year, I might go one step further –

“No costume? Here’s your trick!” And throw a (small, maybe) bucket of water over them. (Man, I’m a b***h when I wanna be…)

Now, to bloggers who’ve popped in, thanks for coming.

Your treat is your choice, of
either a virtual slice of Devil’s Food cake,
or a virtual slice of Hell’s Pizza.
Take your pick.